Best Moves for Big Arms

Q: I love [3D Positions of Flexion training]. It makes sense and has helped me bring up my chest and delts with fewer sets. My question is about biceps. For the contracted-position exercise, which is best: one-arm spider curls or concentration curls? Or are they about the same?

A: In the X-traordinary Arms e-book we explain the in-for-out/out-for-in principle. For biceps that means that to focus on the outer head for peak, you use an inner-grip exercise. Concentration curls are about as “in” as you can get…

By curling the dumbbell across the torso to the opposite shoulder you are simulating an extreme inside grip, emphasizing the lateral, or outer, head of the biceps, which adds to the peak when you flex. It’s the outer head that rises above the inner head to produce an impressive jutting crest.

One-arm spider curls, which are performed on the vertical side of the preacher bench, is an “out” exercise—you angle your lower arm out away from your upper arm. That focuses on the medial, or inner, head of the biceps. Beefing up that area of the biceps gives it more thickness when your arm is down by your side and viewed head-on.

So obviously one is not better than the other—unless you want to specialize on one of those biceps areas. If you’re after complete biceps development, you should alternate them at every other workout as your contracted-position exercise. A good 3D POF biceps program would be barbell curls (midrange), incline curls (stretch) and concentration curls or one-arm spider curls (contracted), alternating the last two exercises at every other biceps workout.

Note: For a full description of 3D Positions of Flexion and all the benefits of research-proven full-range training along with mass training techniques and diet, see 3D Muscle Building.
The renowned X-traordinary Arms e-book is now available only as a FREE ebook with our newest release, The Anabolic After-40 Muscle-Size Manual (and it also included a couple other great bonuses).